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Chicago news: Harry Teinowitz out at ESPN 1000

Long-time Chicago radio personality Harry Teinowitz was informed last night that he is out as one of the afternoon hosts at WMVP-AM 1000.

An ESPN spokesman said WMVP wanted to move in a different direction. The move likely was dictated by ratings. It might be the first of a series of moves at the station.

In the January ratings of men 25-54 (the key demographic for sports talk radio) from 1-6 p.m., ESPN 1000′s afternoon show (2-6 p.m.) featuring Teinowitz, Carmen DeFalco and John Jurkovic placed 17th with a 2.6 audience share. Meanwhile, its main competition, Dan Bernstein and Terry Boers at WSCR-AM 670, was No. 1 with a 6.5 share.

Said Josh Krulewitz, an ESPN spokesman out of Bristol: “Harry has done great work for us for a number of years. While we have decided to move in a different direction, we wish him continued success.”

ESPN and WMVP stuck with Teinowitz after he had a highly-publicized DUI arrest in March, 2011. He entered an rehabilitation program and returned to the station in May, 2011.

With this move, don’t be surprised if ESPN 1000 shifts the Tom Waddle-Marc Silverman show (currently airing from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.) to the afternoon slot.

Although Harry’s a bit of a boob (aren’t we all), the real problem is Carmen….and that began when the Program Mgr decided Dan McNeil should hit the road. Carmen and Silvy are the ‘golden boys’, the home grown talent….but they’re marginal at best. Waddle carries his show, Silvy is just ‘another guy’, anybody could fill that seat….If they weren’t getting the guests they do being an ESPN property they’d have no listeners, Mac and Spiegs are a much more interesting show, for me anyway. And I’m not a ‘Score’ guy, Boers and Bernstein are totally boring, but there are no other ‘drive time’ sports options – so WDCB 90.9′s Jazz gets my money and my ears at that time.

I disagree about your comments on Silvy. He’s not just another “guy”, he is a horrible on-air host. He and Waddle are a bunch of jock-sniffers trying to one-up each other in the one-liner department. Waddle is over the top and obnoxious. There is no reason to listen to their show as both of them add no value to the program. The station should just go ahead and run the ESPN national syndicated broadcasts during their time slot. I know that I would then tune in if that were the case.

Bad move in my opinion. Carmen tries way too hard to be funny and likeable. Harry, although somewhat corny at times, was always creative and remained true to who he was. Knowledgeable about sports, and naturally witty. He was the most genuine of the 3.

Harry was sort of a polarizing figure, he could gnaw at you a lot but I actually liked him. He was just wacky and funny enough to offset others around him. What I can’t understand is how anyone likes Boers and Bernstein, they are smart but they are also bullies and put people down that don’t agree with them.

Not sure how long Harry had been with 1000 but it was a while sometimes a change is just needed. Good luck Harry.

Carmen was the weak link in the team. I have still been listening but am about to give up the afterneen show because I can not stomach Carmen. Harry and Jurko were great together both with and without Danny Mac and Carmen. Wrong move to save this time slot if you ask me. Carmen has to go to save the time slot.

Both Harry AND Jurko were BRUTAL. I actually dont mind Carmen but Mac was much better at keeping Jurko and Harry in line. Without Mac those two took on a much bigger role and it has been brutal. Can that moron Jurko as well and fill those seats with Jesse Rodgers and anyone and they’ll be fine. Jurko brings that show down on so many levels. 90 Minutes in he was renaming the show. Absolutely classless! He is brutal. I never likedHarry but I would have taken him over Jurko in a two man show with Carmen any day. I mean Jurko doesnt know anything about sports except Nascar and football and I’m not sure he knows that much about football.

Most of these guys on both stations should be kicked to the curb and replayced by some fresh talent,another voice,opinion,charactor,Oh hell,someone other than those two dick wads on the score that pollute the airwaves in the afternoon, blathering on ,angry, boring, played out crap screaming through the dials. As for Harry, just an example of someone on the radio for too long that people are tired of listening to.

As far as I’m concerned Carmen is the only one worth keeping on this show. Harry is incredibly annoying although he thinks he’s hilarious. Jurko is pretty well spoken and brings the perspective of a former pro athlete to the show but outside of pro football and hockey his opinion is worthless. Its as though he doesn’t watch the sports (basketball, baseball) that he is paid to commentate on. Carmen, while he may be a bit annoying, at least has reasonable educated opinions on all the teams in this town and the leagues in general. At the end of the day waddle and silvy is a far superior show.

I agree that Carman is the issue on the afternoon show, his man crush for Sivly is nauseating. Harry was tolerable. Jurko is a nice third wheel. All started when they let Danny Mac go. Also agree that it is unbelievable tha B and B are # 1 in time slo, tried just cannot listen. Seems like ESPN way though, very condescending and arrogant, list they ar the be all end all of sports.

Just like every other cowardly CEO and corporate executive in this country, ESPN decided to do away with its higher paid, more talented & more experienced personnel. Rather than admitting their mistake and making the correction, they decide to fire another veteran member of the show. Basically this is just another example of weak corporate leadership in America. Typical American corporate leadership, do away with your high-priced talent and then come back and wonder why you’re not getting the ratings you used to get. What a bunch of idiots!!

I know that I’m not in the target audience for this show, but I will miss Harry. IMO, Jurko is the one who needs to leave. As a former pro athlete, he has the background that could help make an interesting show, but it seems like he’s sleeping after 5. Also, I’m so tired of the references to his passing gas in the studio. That was funny in grade school. I’ve tried the other station, but Bernstein is pompous and just too mean. If they move Waddle & Silvy to drive time, I’d be happy. I’d also like to hear more of Hoodie during weekdays. I’ll never forget his broadcasts after the Sox won the Series in 2005 – he said what I was thinking & feeling then.

ESPN 1000 provides nothing insightful on sports discussion ever. It’s no wonder B & B is number #1, there show at least gets me thinking about topics I didn’t necessarily know too much about or understand. The worst host on the the channel is Silvy tho, he should have been canned before anyone. Hockey is big in Chicago and when Waddle and Sillvy continue to spend hours each day talking about D-Rose’s recovery and a shitty bulls team while the Blackhawks remain undefeated, I want to slap them. 670 is 10x better than 1000

What happened?
Harry was the reason I listened to the broadcast, he made it fun.
The 2 guys left are trying to do what he did but without the chemistry. Jerko is a Jerk with his negativity all the time & his ‘Hockey for Dummies’ comments.
There is no alternative for sports talk on my ride home now. I can not listen to the 2 (B&B) on 670 for longer than 5 minutes, they are the worst ever.
Thank good ness for Mulley & Hanley without them I would not have anything in Chicago to listen to. I will wait for Harry to come back & then I will come back.
They made a mistake here & they lost me.

Harry was the ONLY reason to listen, yet management let those idiots, carmen and jurko, stifle him most of the time. Jurko has no business surviving while HT is out of work…can’t wait to find Harry when hen lands on his feet…and he WILL!!

Wow, what a mistake. Harry was the talent for that show. I hope he quickly lands back on his feet. He brought a solid perspective from a fans view and appreciation for all sports. I will miss his unique style and humor. I concur with the B&B show comments. How in the world are they rated #1? It just goes to show our level of appreciation of sports radio is pretty damn low. I listened because of Harry’s personality the different spots he brought to the show. I spent my time between their show & NPR. Now NPR will get the full afternoon. See ya ESPN 1000.
Maybe J Hood gets more time?

I listened for years when it was Mac Jurko and Harry, and loved them three, after Mac left I stopped listening because Silvy has to be one of the most annoying sports guy in Chicago, Waddles back hurts from carrying him. I switched to the Score about 3 years ago and haven’t looked back, couldn’t stand B&B at first now I love em, they grow on you. They yell at callers who deserve it and are stupid.

I can’t think of anyone on the SCORE that is worth listening to. Waddle and Silvie is an ok show. I would be just as happy if ESPN just went with all national shows from Bristol. Only one I don’t like is the Herd and that’s on when W & S is on so keep them and tank the rest and shut down the SCORE. It is just brutal. Best part of the SCORE is when the Bears lose and Buffone and O’B go crazy. They are hilarious.

Harry was intelligent about life & more importantly,about the sports topics he spoke about,whether you found his humor amusing or not-he provided the most useful insight of any of the three, or for that matter, of any other afternoon host. Carmen is at least a professionally sounding host,regardless of whether you agree to his presentation-the other guy is a complete boob (kindest thing I could say-appreciate his athletic accomplishments,but no way should be on radio giving so- called sport insight) All respect to his horrible recent family loss, but he is the guy who should be gone. Long time listener, I won’t be anymore. Good Luck.

It is interesting that they chose to drop Harry rather than Jurko, who gets paid more, but could be gone quickly anyway. Harry probably would have stayed for less. Carmen and Jurko are on life support, and they won’t come close to overtaking Danny Mac. And once Jurko is canned (and he will be – guarnteed), he will likely go across the dial and join Mac (you got to wunder whether Jurko is going to throw the big game in this slot). The big question is whether Waddle+Silvy can take on B+B. If B+B hold on to the top spot, Silvy is gone for sure (as if they need another reason – Waddle is the golden child, not Silvy). But W+S beat B+B, Bernstein is for sure gone (they certainly don’t need another reason), and that opens the door for a Heavy Fuel Reunion, or a Mac-Jurko afternoon, Mac’s preferred time slot. Remember, where Mac goes, so goes the ratings.